


The Joker’s Queen

by Sparrowlily



Series: DICE member Shuichi [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, DICE (dangan ronpa) - Freeform, I’m testing things, M/M, Shuichi is gonna regret decisions, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 12:26:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17100575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparrowlily/pseuds/Sparrowlily
Summary: Despite his uncle and friends telling, or more accurately, demanding him to drop the case, that the price was something he couldn’t pay. He still did it. It was stupid he knew that, he barely hid his desperation and that was the first mistake.Shuichi Saihara made a deal with the leader of D.I.C.E, how could he not though? He had the answers Shuichi wanted.Joining D.I.C.E is only temporary anyway.





	1. Chapter 1

Kaede Akamatsu was found dead in an alleyway at 7:30 pm, an hour before her piano recital. She was stabbed between her neck and left shoulder, there were bruises on her neck and left wrist, her official cause of death was blood loss and no valuables were taken off her body, not her necklace or her watch. 

the police had no solid leads as to who could’ve done this, it seemed like a wild goose chase after nearly 2 years of nothing the case was dropped. Her family and friends were devastated, confused and desperate for answers but there were none. 

Everyone attempted to go back to their lives. 

———

The clock that ticked in the background was the only thing reminding Shuichi that time was not frozen, but that fact provided little comfort, his anxiety clawed at him, his hands were clammy and he fidgeted in his seat. Being called into his uncle’s office always stirred up his nerves, whether he did anything or not.

His uncle left just a second before saying he had to grab something and somehow that made Shuichi all the more anxious, like whatever he was getting was going to be the start of something that he had no control over. 

“Sorry Shuichi I just left the folder on the kitchen counter, I was looking at it before.”

“...it’s alright, I didn’t wait long.”, Shuichi replied, a folder probably meant that his uncle was giving him a case.

His uncle settled at his desk but his expression was unsettled, his lips in a tight line and eyebrows pulled together. To say that a dark cloud was forming in his chest would be an understatement, his uncle, who was usually so well put together, seemed as anxious as Shuichi felt, what was not to fear?

What was in that folder that weighed so heavily on him?

The older man held the folder up and took a breath before setting it on the desk facing Shuichi, his expression more control than before but his eyes portrayed his own emotions.

“This is Akamatsu’s case.”

Akamatsu, Kaede Akamatsu. That name felt weird hearing again after what felt like so long and it still hurt to hear it, he used to feel a fluttering in his chest hearing her name but not anymore and all the memories attached to it were haunting now, like nightmares. Shuichi swallowed.

“So, you’re taking the case, uncle?”

It was strange, he had taken the case before and came up with nothing, stumped like everyone else who had taken the case. Why would h-

His uncle shook his head.

“No, Shuichi you’re taking this case.” 

He practically jumped off his chair in surprise, Shuichi stared at his uncle with his eyes wide.

“Huh!, what! why?”

A smile crossed the man’s face at his nephew’s reaction, the boy was always so jumpy. 

“Why not?”

‘There are several reasons as to ‘why not’’,  
Shuichi though to himself, but the important one is-

“I’m not qualified, I can-I can’t.”

His uncle just kept smiling softly at him, he was confident in his nephew’s abilities, unfortunately that doesn’t make up for Shuichi’s lack of confidence.

“You can, you just haven’t tried Shuichi.”

It was true, his uncle had offered him the case but he declined, he didn’t even provide his thoughts on it or read it like he usually did. He couldn’t touch that case, literally nor figuratively. But he felt a pull to it, even now he still feels responsible in some way, it’s true he never tried... he could always back out, no one would blame him, the case may be too much, but it’s been awhile since her murder and Kaede always said she believed in him, even after he started wearing his hat and avoiding any eye contact she still believed in him, what kind of detective would he be if he didn’t at least try....?

He pulled the bill of his hat up slightly.

“...I’ll take the case.”

For Kaede he would try, but he got the feeling his uncle had more to tell him. His uncle caught on to his suspicions and smiled.

“Great, but I brought up this case specifically for you not only because you’re capable but also because I possibly have a way to make progress in this case.”

That wasn’t wasn’t what shuichi expected to hear and it made him all the more curious, so many police officers and detectives failed to gain anything new to contribute to the case, his uncle included and there he sat with his uncle telling him he had something, it was borderline unbelievable.

“It’s about an organization named D.I.C.E, their leader knows all sorts of things he’s not supposed to, I met them after his  
group sprayed silly string on my car a month ago-“

Shuichi giggled, he remembered how his uncle’s car looked like a rainbow had thrown up on it. but that was such a strange thing for this group to do.

His uncle gave him a look before continuing.

“- his members said to remember them and that their leader knew all kinds of things, that he could tell me all kinds of things for a price, they game me a poker card with coordinates on it and left.” He pulled the card out of his breast pocket and showed it to Shuichi, sure enough it had coordinates written in purple pen written over the black diamonds.

His uncle continued.

“I looked into the group in private and came up with nothing but later that night I woke up to another card on the foot of my bed, but with just writing, it said if I wanted to find them I have to pay a price. I think it could lead somewhere, so I want you to join me when we visit their base of operations.”

Shuichi couldn’t have felt more intimated if he tried.

 

————

“You’re doing what!?”

Everyone in the cafe turned to look at them, Shuichi felt unnerved but Kaito seemed to be ignorant to the eyes on them. Maki rolled her eyes but looked back at Shuichi, when he met Maki she seemed unreadable but now he could tell that she was concerned about him. It wasn’t a well known fact but Maki was protective of her friends.

“Are you sure you’re okay investigating this? You were the most messed up by her death and investigating the murder of their best friend isn’t how people typically move on.”

Blunt but it was clear she meant well, Kaito’s worry was more clear, loud and clear. 

“Bro, are you sure this won’t hurt you more?”

He couldn’t say for certain that this decision wouldn’t have repercussions, but every road is rocky and he’s sure he won’t come out of this more damaged than before.

Probably.

Hopefully.

“I’m sure.”

He caught Maki narrowing her eyes at him for a split second before her expression went Neutral again, sighing. Kaito seemed to fully accept his answer his worries melting off his face and a bright smile on his face.

 

“Well bro if you say you can handle it, i know you can handle! You’re gonna do great! You’re gonna solve this case!”

.

 

.

 

.

 

He could only hope so.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m writing this to improve so I would appreciate some constructive criticisms.  
> Please and thank you.

After reassuring his friends Shuichi had changed the conversation topic, the rest of the afternoon was filled with excited chatter, mostly from Kaito. Despite the pleasant atmosphere and the support of his friends though Shuichi still was anxious, it was like a monster breathing down his neck, this afternoon his uncle and him were supposed to find the base of the organization D.I.C.E, from what his uncle had said about this group they’re more harmless pranksters than anything but if that’s true then how were they able to get into the apartment?, how were they able to find where his uncle lived? How did they knew he was researching them?

So many questions were left unanswered and it fed into his growing fear, but also his curiosity, D.I.C.E was capable of a lot that much was clear so would they know anything about Kaede’s murder?, if their claims of their leader ‘knowing things he shouldn’t’ were true than this is possibly the only solid lead they had and Shuichi wasn’t gonna let it slip away.

Checking the time on his phone Shuichi told his friends he had something to do today and said goodbye to Kaito and Maki before leaving the cafe.

He could feel eyes on his back as he left, though he assumed it was Maki, who he guessed was still not reassured that he would be okay, but he continued walking despite the small thought of Maki not being the one the staring.

———

In just a handful of minutes Shuichi came upon his uncle’s apartment building, his uncle, who was stood outside the building, waved to Shuichi, a gesture that he returned. Though the man was smiling it didn’t reach his eyes, perhaps he’s just worried for Shuichi like his friends are, it was a tense sort of situation after all.

“So what exactly are we supposed to do to find them?”, Shuichi asked, finding the base of a secret organization would be impossible if they have nothing to go off of, so he dearly hopes his uncle had some clue of where to start, he could assume D.I.C.E would be aware of them searching as well, being that they had known when his uncle was simply researching them and they didn’t like that so the Organization throwing a wrench in their plans should be expected, were they prepared for that outcome? To be targeted by the organization? To be watched from the shadows? What if D.I.C.E considers them a true threat? Then what will happen? Will they be disposed of?

His uncle snapping his fingers in front of his face was what brought him back out of his own head. He pulled out a poker card and held it up, smiling.

“Shuichi, I have the address.”

“....huh!,What? Since when?”

The man chuckled and handed the card to his nephew. He turned the card around in his hands and right there on the back was the address number, scribbled down in sparkly purple ink.

“Since when I first chased them down, now shake a leg we’ve got ground to cover.”

Shuichi was baffled as to why D.I.C.E didn’t want his uncle looking into their organization but their fine with giving him the address to their base?, this was making Shuichi more and more curious, what kind of leader would allow this to happen?, Shuichi handed the card back to his uncle and they got into his car and onto the road.

Just minutes into the drive Shuichi saw out of the corner of his eye that his uncle was sneaking short worried glances at him, so the next time he turned his head to catch his uncle’s eyes and raised his eyebrow in a questioning manner, as if to ask for explanation. His uncle sighed and returned his eyes to the road.

Shuichi opened his mouth to verbally ask for explanation, but shut it when his uncle started talking.

“Shuichi, when we get there I want you to be wary of the details of the deal we’re gonna make, you cannot show your emotions and let them take advantage of you.” 

He didn’t need to be told that, but it’s a real problem, if he lets his desperation show then the leader will probably raise the price as high as he sees fit, he doesn’t want to be in debt to the leader if he can’t pay, speaking of, what is the price? Money most likely but there’s always the possibility of something more sinister being the price to pay for information and what if the leader doesn’t have the info he needs, will they let them go without making a deal? 

He shakes his thoughts out his head and replies to his uncle.

“I know, I’m prepared.”

“One more thing, Shuichi if the price is too high then we’re turning tail, no if, ands, or but’s.”

 

That’s the only thing Shuichi isn’t prepared for, how could he even dream of letting Kaede go again?

 

———

 

The rest of the drive was spent in silence, when they arrived it was in the city and bustling with people, they parked and got out of the car.

Shuichi’s uncle took out the card, looking at it briefly he started walking down the sidewalk and waved for Shuichi to follow him.

People were moving to and fro around them and Shuichi worried that he would lose his uncle in the crowd, he walked fast to keep up but out of the blue someone bumped into him, well it was more like they ran into him, he stumbled a bit but caught himself and the other person just ran around him and left. He only caught a glimpse of long light brown hair and a white outfit.

“Shuichi!”

His uncle called to him from a few feet ahead, he took one look behind himself before running to catch up to his uncle.

He was feeling like he was being watched again, but there were a lot of people around so he’s probably just overwhelmed by the atmosphere of it all. He followed his uncle to an alley, the man walked straight in with little hesitation, maybe he should’ve expected that being that his uncle did lot of field work and probably wasn’t too afraid of something like sketchy alleyways but it still felt like too reckless an act.

 

Shuichi walked slowly into the alley, his stomach twisted a little, Kaede died in an alley, a dirty alleyway, all alone, he felt the beginnings of tears prick his eyes before he shook his head and stepped further into the alley with a new sense of purpose and a heaviness in his chest. He and his uncle came upon a door at the end of the alley, it had rusty hinges and the paint was peeling off, nothing special just an old rickety door but before they could move to open it.

Purple, white and black confetti was shot at them from behind with a loud pop that sounded more like a gunshot.

 

“WELCOME DETECTIVE SAIHARA AND DETECTIVE SAIHARA JR.!”

They whipped around to the source of the voice and were met with six people dressed in all white wearing clown masks and holding party poppers.

Shuichi flinched hard at the sudden noise and confetti, he heard a ringing in his ears, he saw one of the people waving their hands around wildly but with the ringing he couldn’t tell if they were actually speaking. It didn’t seem to matter though as the six people in white ran towards them took them both by the shoulders, whirled them around and shoved them hard towards the door. 

He expected to hit his face against wood but the door was opened a second before so he and his uncle both crashed onto the floor beyond the door instead. Laughter sounded behind him, which made his cheeks turn colors from embarrassment, but he lifted himself off the floor and was awestruck by the decor of the room he was in, the walls were a polished white but the ceiling and floor were a black and white checkerboard that stretched the entire length of the corridor, He couldn’t even see the end.

A woman with ashy pink hair, dressed in white and wearing a clown mask much like the people behind them, cleared her throat and waved at them to follow her as she started down the long corridor. 

It took one of the people behind them poking Shuichi in the back to get them to start walking. 

The base as a whole was a dizzying maze, they went up and down staircases, turned left then right, went down two different halls before back tracking and going to a different floor completely and with all the twists, turns and backtracking, Shuichi got the feeling that either the members themselves didn’t know the layout of their own base or they just wanted to confuse Shuichi and his uncle for whatever reason.

He was leaning towards the latter. 

They stopped at a tall double door and the woman who was leading pushed the doors open. Stepping into the room he noticed that the room was similar to the rooms before but was more akin to a throne room with the purple rug in the middle of the floor leading up to what was in-fact a throne a few levels about the floor.

And presumably the figure sitting there was the leader.

The group behind them pushed them just before the throne and that was when Shuichi got a good look at the leader.

He was dressed just like in the same white outfit as his subordinates but with a dark colored cape and hat that made him look like dictator. His outfit aside, he himself was short and thin, with wispy purple hair poking out from behind his mask and underneath his hat, all in all he seemed more like a child given too much power to play with than real threat.

But looks can be deceiving, he knew that.

 

The short leader giggled as he looked down on them both.

“Seiki Saihara and Shuichi Saihara, oh how nice it is to meet two great detectives, both groveling at my feet! What can I do for you? Nishishi!” He said casually, with a strange giggle at the end.

Shuichi didn’t know what to make of the boy’s childish behavior, he didn’t know how the boy already knew their names or how he was so casually just sat at a throne, talking down to them, or how such a young boy was the leader of D.I.C.E. he looked at his uncle for an idea of how to respond and his uncle just nodded his head at the leader, silently telling his nephew to deal with it without him. His blood felt cold at the thought of handling the situation on his own, his hand twitched slightly and he almost reached up to pull his hat down over his eyes but stopped and he ducked his head down slightly instead when he turned to the leader again. He knew his eyes would give away his fear but pulling down his hat would be too obvious an action, he hoped he didn’t screw up already.

The purple haired boy’s lip twitched upwards behind his mask.

Shuichi stepped forward a little and spoke up as confidently as he could muster.

“We were hoping you could tell us anything you know regarding the murder of Kaede Akamatsu.” There was a trembling to his voice as he said her name, it stuck out like a sore thumb to Shuichi, but it was there for only a split second too little time to catch it.

Unless someone was looking for a fault in his voice. 

 

The boy had a foreboding grin on his face behind the mask.

“Ahh I see, well I do know a few things about poor Akamatsu’s Murder, but I’d prefer if we were to talk about this in private, Saihara.” His tone of voice was haughty, like he knew something that gave him superiority over them, like he already won.

“Ah, me?” Shuichi asked with uncertainty at the prospect of being alone with this boy.

“Well, you’re obviously more attached to this case, you are Akamatsu’s best friend aren’t you?” 

It was like bullet hit him, emotions he couldn’t identify piled up on his chest and crushed the air right out his lungs. He froze. His uncle caught his inner struggle and put a hand reassuringly on his shoulder. He mouthed.

“It’s okay shuichi.”

Shuichi gathered his bearings as much as he could, he already came so far that he couldn’t back down now just because he hadn’t forgotten about his long relationship with Kaede, just because he couldn’t sweep his feelings under the rug and forget about them.

“Alright, lets talk in private.”

“Ooh! How reckless I could kill you ya know! But alright everyone clear out! I wanna talk my beloved detective alone!”  
The boy said to his subordinates, they quickly left the throne room without a word taking Shuichi’s uncle with them. But his uncle gave Shuichi a pat on the back before leaving.

The boy giggled again and he pulled off his mask to reveal a smirk and mischievous purple eyes. 

“Well, we’re all alone my beloved so let’s get to the real business! I’ll tell you whatever you want but I want you to join D.I.CE and be my queen!”

.

 

.

 

.

Huh?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was fun to write while sick. I’m sorry it’s short, I didn’t wanna get into the fun stuff just yet. :p


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m trying not to abandon this, honestly I’m excited to know what’s gonna happen and I’m the one writing this!

He must’ve hallucinated for a second there, he couldn’t have hear what he thought he did. No no no, ‘join D.I.C.E’ ‘be my queen ‘. There were so many things wrong with this, so many things he could say but all that came out was a weak-

“...H-huh?”

The boy chuckled as he stood up off his throne and cheerfully skipped up to Shuichi, like what he just said didn’t hold the weight it did.

“Wow, you’re blushing so much right now! But what i said before was a lie.”

Shuichi could feel the heat in his cheeks get worse and he pulled the brim of his hat down slightly, he couldn’t will away the blush, but felt a sense of relief at being told his early statement was a lie. That was until the boy continued.

“Well, the part about you being my queen was anyway, I do want you to join D.I.CE.”

“Wha-“

The boy put his finger over Shuichi’s lips before he could reply and leaned closer to the detective.

“Hush, As a member of D.I.C.E you should know better than to talk when your leader is talking!”

‘He’s acting like I’m already a member! I didn’t even know his group existed til yesterday! I don’t even know his name!’

“I’m not a member, I don’t know anything about you not even your name! how ca-“

“Yet, oh and by the way you can call me ‘joker’.”

Shuichi gave him a strange look.

“Well obviously I’m not gonna give you my real name, even if you are a member, Nishishi.”

He could understand that logic in not giving Shuichi his name and instead using code names, but his confidence in shuichi becoming a member was astounding, He pushed the joker’s arm away from his face and straightened his posture, trying to make himself appear calm and collected. He kept his tone blunt and cold.

“I’m not a member and I never will be.”

Joker’s face was blank for mere moments before a dam broke and tears welled up in his eyes suddenly, as he wailed loudly. 

“WAAAhhh! Shuichi’s so mean! I was just trying to h-help!”

His voice echoed off the walls and Shuichi waved his hands, uselessly trying to calm down the wailing leader. 

“I-I’m sorry! You-you just caught me off guard! I-“

“So you’ll join my organization?”

The tears were gone as soon as they appeared. At this point Shuichi was sure he wasn’t a normal boy, he was confused and flustered from just minutes alone with him. He had no idea how he was supposed to manage this boy.

“W-well, n-“

“You don’t need to answer, I already know you’ll join.” He cut him off, examining his fingernails with a bored expression.

 

Shuichi furrowed his brow, looking at the boy skeptically. How could he expect him to go along with it just because he says he will?, what information does he have to be able to say such things with all this confidence?, Shuichi crossed his arms over his chest.

“And how exactly do you know that?”

Joker smirked again, but this time it felt predatory, like he had his prey right where he wanted it and like a puppeteer, he was pulling the strings and setting the stage.

 

And he had planned the story.

 

“Because that’s the price for the juicy info I have on your old BFF Akamatsu!” He answered, watching with just a hint sadistic interest as Shuichi’s skepticism shifted to alarm when it all registered in his mind.

‘of course that was the price! But is this a price I can’t pay? What if I- no, that’s out of the question! I can’t join D.I.C.E.’

‘Is his information even worth it? He could just be scamming me’

“Joker?”

“Hmm?”

He hesitated.

“What sort of information do you even have?” He asked, he’s not gonna join! He’s just checking.

Joker couldn’t hold back his smirk from widening if he tried, this was just too good! He had caught him hook, line and sinker all he had to do now was reel him in. This detective was almost too easy to manipulate! He was too emotionally attached to this case, bad for him but good for joker.

“Yep! More than what the police know anyway!” He said, smiling cheerfully. That wasn’t a lie either, which made this all the more fun.

He watched the detective expectedly. Shuichi searched his eyes for any hint of a lie, coming up with nothing he sighed, putting a hand to his chin and opted to think of the choice he was presented with.

He didn’t want to join D.I.C.E, that was the issue, what would happen if he joined a criminal organization? Did he really need to do this to gain the information on Kaede’s Murder? For years there was little information on her case, little or none was found whenever there was a new detective taking the case or when a new investigation was opened up. Kaede was Murdered just before their first year of high school and Shuichi was now in college. If he didn’t act now in the future would anyone else? He couldn’t take that chance, it feels wrong to leave the case alone, it’s always been in the back of his head nagging at him, he had to take the case for Kaede and himself. This was a risk he had to take. He had to put trust into what this stranger says and even work for them. This was the only option.

 

“Fine, if you tell me what you know...I’ll join.”

“I knew you c-“

“But.” Shuichi interrupted, he pulled the brim of his hat up, his intense grey eyes stared into joker’s purple ones. “I’m only gonna be a member for the duration of my investigation.” He continued, maintaining eye contact despite his anxiety nagging at him.

 

he wasn’t gonna be a complete push over about it.

 

Joker’s expression was devoid of any and all emotions, he was shocked, from the moment he saw Shuichi he deduced him as a timid doormat of a detective, he hid his eyes and avoided direct eye contact. This burst of assertiveness was  
unforeseen, a complete surprise!

He might not be too boring after all.

When joker recovered from his shock he smiled wide, Shuichi noted that it seemed genuine compared to his other smiles, he stepped up to him and grabbed his hand, shaking it wildly.

“You got yourself a deal Saihara-chan!”

Shuichi was sure there was more to this, some loop hole he overlooked, it all felt too easy, joker didn’t argue at all and instead he looked overjoyed. Perhaps it wasn’t the deal itself that caused his wariness but the person he made the deal with.

He wasn’t someone to be taken lightly and Shuichi felt like he made a deal with the devil.

Joker’s grip on his hand was strong, especially compared to his feeble appearance. But he’s a mystery Shuichi isn’t gonna wanna solve anytime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe literally making a deal with the actual devil would’ve been a safer choice...

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not sure I’ll continue this but it was fun to write and also extremely tiring! :D


End file.
